Demystifying GEOINT

Geospatial Intelligence has become indispensable to modern militaries for a host of purposes, especially in the wake of ongoing Ukraine Conflict. In this scenario, there’s an immediate need to focus on spatial needs of the armed forces, as well as involve them in policy formulations.

GEOINT comprises of imagery, imagery intelligence (IMINT) and geospatial information. The full utility of GEOINT comes from the integration of all three, resulting in more comprehensive, tailored geospatial intelligence products for meeting the wider requirements of the Armed Forces.

It gives them the ability to rapidly respond to threats, providing geo-referenced visual and data products that serve as foundation and common frame of reference. These products include interactive maps, virtual flythroughs, and walk-through mission scenarios.

Geopolitical Turbulence

The Ukraine War is witnessing optimization of GEOINT, especially

By Lt Gen Prakash Katoch (Retd)

the use of satellites and drones, for real-time situational awareness for hi-tech engagement.

Concurrently, the Indo-Pacific has gained prominence with American moves to checkmate Chinese aggression. Indian concerns include the continuing standoff with China, Pakistan’s proxy war, the China-Pakistan nexus, and emerging threats in the Indian-Ocean with increased Chinese presence in the waters and on Coco Islands.

The importance of GEOINT or Geospatial Intelligence for our Armed Forces remains vital, as is the need for adopting emerging GEOINT technologies, developing smart and integrated security ecosystems, plus international cooperation, although the latter should only be considered a ‘bonus’.

China's YaoGan constellation of military intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) satellites supports a range of geospatial intelligence capabilities: optical, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and electronic intelligence (ELINT).

China has 24x7 satellite cover astride the Tibet India border and recently deployed an AI-controlled satellite to surreptitiously monitor military areas in Bihar and a port in Japan. Beijing has also been using air balloons and hi-speed drones for collection of GEOINT.

Broader Defence Participation

India’s National Geospatial Policy 2022 aims to set up high resolution topographical survey and mapping national framework, and a high-accuracy Digital Elevation Model (DEM) by 2030 (full implementation by 2050) to promote indigenous geospatial data industry.

The focus on commercialization is well understood considering that India’s geospatial economy is expected to grow at 12.8 percent and cross INR 63,000 crore by 2025. However, this should not be a reason to overlook the geospatial requirements of the Armed Forces.

Ironically, the 17-strong Geospatial Data Promotion Development Committee (GDPFC) has only one member from the Ministry of Defence (MoD); who can hardly ensure the considerable responsibility and role of his ministry in geospatial data acquisition – unless the ministry wants to wash its hands off from this responsibility and wishws the Armed Forces to deal directly with other governmental bodies and the industry.

Moreover, the military component in the Survey of India (SoI) has been eliminated altogether; relegating defence to second place. This needs serious revision, given that the military is a major user of geospatial data.

The relevance of geospatial data will keep growing in modern wars with rapid advances in technology and weapon systems, including unmanned and hypersonic platforms.

The security of geospatial data required by the Armed Forces is more complex than relational geospatial data; requiring data organization and structures to deny data manipulation and theft that would seriously compromise national security.

The SoI-Military Survey bond required strengthening but severing it and reducing the SoI to “peripheral” role is a setback for the Armed Forces.

Establishment of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) has been a good initiative but it apparently deals only with some aspects pertaining to creation of metadata of available geospatial data. It does not cater inputs from the intelligence community or the Armed Forces.

Data Fusion & Interoperability

We need to work on fusion of intelligence data. Additionally, the Defence Intelligence Agency

(DIA) is the central repository for all intelligence inputs pertaining to the three Services including Imagery Intelligence (IMINT) and Electronic Intelligence (ELINT). But have we integrated the aspects of topography with the DIA.

Within the existing setup, do we have adequate resources in terms of remote sensing, ELINT payloads and cartography to produce high quality fused data?

Future wars will be fought in a completely integrated manner by the three Services, for which, real time C4I2SR and common situational picture are essential. The Services have been working

Ability to continuously create and interact in real time with real-time spatiotemporal data and its applications. 1

Deploy mobile geospatial sensor platforms like small satellites and drones in adequate numbers in orbits tailored to the mission. 2

Develop and employ small/miniature and low cost devices and sensors with wireless connectivity, as part of Internet of Things (IoT). 3

Broader wireless and web networks to ensure better and faster data transmission and geospatial data distribution to end users. 4

Improved high-performance computing networks and cloud computing services such as CyberGIS and Cloud GIS with requisite security. 5